Tourists back to paradise as Hawaii area struggles

1of 8A surfer rides a wave near the seawall in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014. Iselle, the first tropical storm to hit the state in 22 years, knocked out power, caused flooding and downed trees when it crossed onto the Big Island in a rural and sparsely populated region. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)Photo: Chris Stewart, FRE

2of 8Young board surfers ride storm-driven waves under the seawall on Ali'i Drive in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014. Iselle, the first tropical storm to hit the state in 22 years, knocked out power, caused flooding and downed trees when it crossed onto the Big Island in a rural and sparsely populated region. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)Photo: Chris Stewart, FRE

3of 8Spectators watch a few surfers at La'aloa Beach just south of Kailua Village in Kailua-Kona on the island of Hawaii, Friday, Aug. 8, 2014. Iselle, the first tropical storm to hit the state in 22 years, knocked out power, caused flooding and downed trees when it crossed onto the Big Island in a rural and sparsely populated region. (AP Photo/Chris Stewart)Photo: Chris Stewart, FRE

4of 8The city of Honolulu can be seen from Round Top Dr, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014 in Honolulu. Despite the rains and winds from Tropical Storm Iselle that pounded the state Friday, Hawaii will hold primary elections today. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)Photo: Marco Garcia, FRE

5of 8Despite the tropical weather, Hawiian officials decided to proceed with Saturday's primary elections. Noelani Elementary School in Manoa served as a polling place for the primary.Photo: Marco Garcia, FRE

6of 8The city of Honolulu can be seen from Round Top Dr, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014 in Honolulu. Despite the rains and winds from Tropical Storm Iselle that pounded the state Friday, Hawaii will hold primary elections today. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)Photo: Marco Garcia, FRE

7of 8Hawaii State Sen. David Ige, who is challenging Gov. Neil Abercrombie for the Democratic nomination for governor, does some last minute campaigning by waving to passing cars, Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014 in Aiea, Hawaii. Despite the rains and winds from Tropical Storm Iselle that pounded the state Friday, Hawaii will hold primary elections today. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)(AP Photo/Marco Garcia)Photo: Marco Garcia, FRE

8of 8The legs of a voter can be seen in a voting booth Saturday, Aug. 9, 2014 in Honolulu. Despite the rains and winds from Tropical Storm Iselle that pounded the state Friday, Hawaii will hold primary elections today. (AP Photo/Marco Garcia)Photo: Marco Garcia, FRE

HONOLULU - His generator whirring at top speed, Gene Lamkin used rain captured from Tropical Storm Iselle to wash his hair as he and thousands of others in a rural swath of the Big Island remained in the dark and unable to traverse roads blocked by toppled trees. It was a far cry from the way tourists in popular parts of Hawaii spent their Saturday - sunbathing, kayaking and otherwise back to paradise despite an overcast sky.

"It's like camping right now," Lamkin said from a cellphone he charged using a generator after his electricity failed at 8:30 p.m. Thursday. "We're using water from our catchment system to bathe ourselves, shampoo our hair - trying to remain in a civilized manner."

Lamkin knows life in the isolated, jungle-like Puna region, where unpaved roads of volcanic rock are not maintained by the county, means being prepared for the worst. The region, home to about 40,000 people, has spent a day and a half without electricity as Hurricane Julio lingered hundreds of miles off the coast. The storm was expected to pass roughly 160 miles northeast of the islands at its closest point early Sunday and linger near the state into Monday.

"Those that didn't prepare are going to be in dire straits," he said. "We invested in a generator years ago, but this is the first time we've had to use it at a full-time capacity. We always have our shelves stocked with food and water."

Iselle brought heavy rain and violent wind early Friday when it made landfall over the southeastern part of the island.